Revolutionary War Encampment Will Offer Living History Weekend At Putnam Park

REDDING — Rebels and redcoats will take over Putnam Memorial State Park in Redding on June 3 and 4, bringing to life the days of the American Revolution.

History buffs portraying American and British soldiers of the American Revolution will set up their camps on grounds once occupied by George Washington’s army.  Accompanying the soldiers will be their wives and children, known back in the days of Washington as “campfollowers.” Also present will be a variety of craftsmen demonstrating colonial-era trades.

The living history program will run from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday, June 3, and 10 am to 3 pm Sunday, June 4.  Parking will be available in the park.  A $2 per person donation is requested.

The park entrance is at the junction of routes 58 and 107 in Redding. The park straddles the Bethel-Redding border.

The event is sponsored by the Friends and Neighbors of Putnam Memorial State Park in cooperation with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and Living History Association Inc.

Reenactors and craftsmen will set up their tents, camp kitchens and workbenches throughout the park. They will be dressed in period clothing and put on demonstrations of military drills and maneuvering, including musket and cannon firings as well as skirmishes between rebels and redcoats.

“We have 125 reenactors coming from as far away as Maryland,” says Friends president Jeanine Herman of Redding.  “It will be a great opportunity for park visitors to taste what life was like during the American Revolution.”

Besides the military activities, reenactors will demonstrate Colonial-era craftsmanship such as gunsmithing, tinsmithing and shoemaking.  A fashion show will showcase clothing of the period.  Cooking and other day-to-day activities of the armies that fought in the American Revolution will also be demonstrated.

The 17th Connecticut Regiment Fife and Drum Corps will perform during the weekend.  An archaeologist will lead visitors on a tour of park sites.  Some have been the subject of recent archaeological investigations, including one excavated last year that uncovered a field officer’s quarters dating to the Revolutionary War encampment.

Activities for children, coordinated by area Girl Scouts and Children of the American Revolution, also will be part of the day’s activities.  Souvenirs for both children and adults will be available, and Girl Scouts also will be selling food and beverages to park visitors.

The living history weekend will feature reenactors representing some of the original regiments that camped in Redding, including the 6th Connecticut Regiment.  Reenactors also will portray soldiers known as Loyalists, who made up regiments such as DeLancey’s Brigade and the Queen’s Rangers.  These were Americans who remained loyal to King George III and fought with the British.

Other reenactors will represent the 23rd Regiment of Foot, or Royal Welch Fusiliers, a British regiment whose Revolutionary War counterpart took park in the raid on Danbury and Battle of Ridgefield in 1777.

The park was one of three camp sites in Redding used by 2,500 American soldiers and dozens of artificers and other support personnel during the Revolutionary War.  Under the overall command of General Israel Putnam, the soldiers endured the harsh winter of 1778-79 in Redding.  They were guarding the extreme eastern flank of Washington’s main army in New Jersey.

At the Redding encampments, the soldiers were within easy striking distance of both the Hudson River and Connecticut coast, where British attacks were feared.  The remains of the soldiers’ living quarters are still visible in the park.